Columbia Failure to Diagnose Cancer Lawyer
The successful treatment of any cancer depends on catching it early on, before it has the chance to spread to other parts of the body and impact the patient’s other organs. With regular checkups. and monitoring of slow-moving cancers, many types of cancer can be caught quickly enough to start a patient on a variety of treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other medications. Unfortunately, physicians routinely make mistakes, which can lead to delayed treatment. Delayed treatment of cancer is the worst possible thing that a doctor can do when it comes to treating an aggressive form of cancer. If you or a loved one’s cancer was misdiagnosed or diagnosed too late, the Columbia cancer misdiagnosis lawyers at Simmons Law Firm are here to help in your time of need.
The Facts About Misdiagnosing Cancer in the United States
According to research published in the National Library of Medicine, missed cancer diagnosis represented 46 percent of all primary care diagnostic errors among a sample of closed misdiagnosed medical malpractice claims. Among the most common types of cancer were lung, colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer. The study found that the majority of these cases involved clinical judgement errors of: failure or delay of obtaining a consult or referral, or failure or delay of ordering diagnostic testing. Such errors lead to severe patient harm in 85 percent of the cases.
Top Ten Most Dangerous Forms of Cancer
The consequences of misdiagnosing a certain form of cancer are dependent on that cancer’s rate of growth and mortality rate. Most forms of cancer can be treated, at least to some degree. In fact, many of the most serious types of cancer, if caught soon enough, can be treated with a very high degree of success. For patients who have an aggressive form of cancer, such as one listed below, their survival depends greatly on the speed and accuracy of their physician’s diagnosis. The following types of cancer have the highest age-adjusted mortality rates, according to Wikipedia:
- Lung cancer;
- Colorectal cancer;
- Breast cancer (non-in situ);
- Pancreatic cancer;
- Prostate cancer;
- Liver cancer and bile duct cancer;
- Leukemia;
- Lymphoma;
- Bladder cancer; and
- Brain cancer.
Damages That Can be Sought in a Cancer Misdiagnosis Claim
- Medical expenses;
- Ongoing and future medical costs;
- Pain and suffering;
- Loss of joy of life;
- Lost earnings and lost earning capacity;
- Emotional distress; and
- Lost lifetime earnings, loss of consortium, and funeral expenses (if the patient passes away).
Contact Simmons Law Firm Today if Your or a Loved One’s Cancer Was Misdiagnosed
With proper screening, testing, and imaging, most types of cancer can and should be detected soon enough by healthcare professionals to take quick action that can save a patient’s life, or save them from months or years of suffering as they battle cancer and fight for their lives. If you or a loved one were harmed due to a doctor’s incorrect or delayed cancer diagnosis, you have the right to seek financial compensation for your damages. Do not hesitate to contact the Columbia cancer misdiagnosis attorneys at Simmons Law Firm today at 803-779-4600 to schedule a free consultation.
